XI FIP World Polo Championship
Yesterday, Tuesday 24 October saw the next stage of the Zone A qualifying matches. Argentina took to the field against Spain for the first match of the day. Even though Spain started the match with fervour, scoring the first goal of the match and already counting a one and a half goal handicap advantage, Argentina proved to be too strong for the European team. They controlled the match from the first chukka onwards, having taken mere minutes to adjust to the pace of play. Argentina closed the game 12-2, securing their spot in the next round of the Championships.
In the second, and by far the longest match, of the day, the USA came up against the Australian home team in a two-hour marathon. The match began on a very even keel with steady play from both sides, but as the match progressed the USA’s superiority began to show and they ultimately beat Australia 7-5.
Play begins today for the Zone B qualifiers.
The XI FIP World Championship Teams:
Zone A
Australia: Jack Archibald, Alec White, Jacob Daniels, Daniel O’Leary, Jack Kiely, James Lester, Lachlan Gilmore, George Hill & Alexander Barnet
Spain: Pelayo Barazadi, Mario Gòmez, Antonio Ayesa, José Trénor, Jaime Serra & Ricardo Trujillo
Argentina: Tomás Panelo, Valentín Novillo Astrada, Ivan Maldonado, Ignacio Bello, Hector Guerrero, Lucio Fernandez Ocampo, Estanislao Grahn & Gernonimo Fanello
USA: Jesse Bray, Felipe Viana, Daniel Galindo, Kenneth Wright, Matías Gonzálex, Cari Scherer, Carlos Arellano II & Wesley Finalyson
Photograph: The USA beat Australia in a whopping two-hour match. By Marcos